Retrieving and reentering long mold sections



Aug. 11, 1942. l.. H. DE vwYK, JR

RE'rnIEvING AND REE'NTERING LONG MOLD SECTIONS 7 Sheets-Sheenl 1 Filed June 17, 1939 RWE.,

ATTORNEY INVENTOR 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. vH. DE WYK, JR

Filed June 17, 1959 INVENTOR ,efgt.,

ATTORNEY RETRIEVING AND REENTERING LONG MOLD SECTIONS Aug. 11, 1942.

ug- 11, 1942. l.. H. DE wYK, JR 2,292,366

RETRIEVING AD'REENTERING LONG MOLD SECTIONS Filed June 17, 1939 7 ,Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Aug 11, v1942- -1..' H. DE wYK, ,11R 2,292,366

RETRIEVING AND REENTRING LONG MCLD SECTIONS INVENTOR 76 among Habe ,cm

K BY 'I ATTORNEY Aug. 11,V 1942. l.. H. DE WYK, JR 2,292,366

RETRIEVING AND REENTERING LONG MOLD sEc'r'IoNs Filed June 17, 1939 'T Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 11, 1942.

L. H. DE wYK, JR

RETRIEV'ING AND REENTERING LONG MOLDjSECTIONS.

Filed June 17, 1939 7 sheds-sheet 6 AAA ATTORN EY Aug. l1, 1942. n L DE WYK JR 2,292,366

' RETRIEVING AND REENTERING LONG MOLD SECTIONS Fil'ed June 17, 1939 7 sheds-sheet 7 EEA ATTORNEY Patented Aug.11,1942

RETRIEVING AND REENTERING LONG MOLD SECTIONS Ludolf H. DeWyk, Jr., Ansoniar, Conn., assignor to The Sponge Rubber Products Company, of Shelton, Conn., a corporation ot Connecticut Application June 17, 1939, Serial No. 279,701

38 Claims. (Cl. 184) This invention relates to methods and apparatus for successively` removing mold sections from the work delivery end of a processing station continually traversed by a train of such sections, returning the removed sections one by one to the work intake end of the processing station, and then successively reentering the returned mold sections in the' train while it is constantly traveling toward and through said station. Preferably this is done in a way to make operatively endless that part of the traveling train which occupies said processing station and to hold the mold sections of such part of the train always in end-to-end tight abutting contact without permitting gaps to occur therebetween.

One object of the invention is to practice the methods proposed in U. S. Patent No. 2,200,262 granted May 14, 1940, to Frederick M. Daley and Ludolf H. De Wyk, by the use of molds in the lower traveling train which are individuallyrigid and which are individually too long to permit ltheir being carried round and round on a beltlike chain of pivotally connected links for conveying them from the exit of the processing station back to the entrance to the processing staion.

Another object of the invention is to keep a slowly traveling train of rigid long mold sections endlessly replenished in the processing station by successively retrieving each mold section as it is slowly ejected from the work output end of said station and conditioning it for reentry at the work intake end of the station with' speeds of movement so much greater than the travel of said train that vonly one or two mold sections need be employed additional to the number-which ll the processing station. f:-

Another obj ect of the invention is progressively and uniformly to vulcanize during continual travel thereof a strip of sponge rubber having at least half of its girth absolutely free from marking by mold joints throughout continuous strip lengths of six feet or more.

Afurther object of the invention is to modify the machine disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,288,- 611, granted to Ludolf H. De Wyk, so that the upper articulated chain of pivotally connected 4mold sections may work cooperatively with a train of lower rigid mold sections each having a length too great to permit of said lower sections I being carried over a circuitous rgute by means of pivotally connected links forming a carrier chain. -A further object of the invention is to insure an automatic supply of such long mold sections to a train thereof traveling continuously through a processing station in a manner to prevent gaps from occurring between mold sections of the train and in a manner to prevent the feeding of such unconnected mold sections to the train any faster than the progress of the train through the processing station calls for replenishment of such train.

A further object is to provide safeguards against automatic, untimely 'or premature return to' the point of reentrance to s'aid processing sta- 'tion of mold sections which have.been discharged from the exit end of the processing station.

A further object is to insure the automatic closing up of each reentering mold section with respect to the trailing end of the train of mold sections' which is constantly passing into the processing station in advance of same.

A- further object is automatically to accomplish correct tilting of each mold section during different stages of its return travel from the exit end of the processing station to the point of entrance thereto, for the purpose of preparing the mold section for safe and smooth transfer from one part of the apparatus to an adjoining and operatively related part of the apparatus. y

A further' object of the invention is automatically to establish'and maintain vaccurate lateral alignmentof the newly entering mold section with respect to the mold section which precedes it in the train passing into and through the processing station. n

A further object is to protect the mold sections and their automatic conveying and handling apparatus fromV impacts, shocks and strains resulting from setting in motion, arresting, and changing the direction of travel of mold sections possessing more than' ordinary weight and momentum.

A still further object is to prevent detrimental loss of heat from the returning mold sections or from particular portions thereof which develop a greater readiness to lose heat, because such loss of heat would adversely affect the rate of production of a material such as sponge rubber being vulcanized in a processing machine embodying the present improvements.

The forcgOing. as well as further and related objects will appear from the detailed description hereinafter in which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein: ,y

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a continuous process vulcanizing machine shown in side elevation and combined at each of vits ends with sections ,of a complete apparatus for retrieving and reentering mold sections according to the present improvements, the course of travel of said mold sections being diagrammatically indicated by direction arrows.

Fig, 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the work receiving end of the vulcanizing machine and of themold feeding apparatus joined thereto as at the right end of Fig. 1, the heat insulating jacket being mostly broken away and certain parts being shown in section on the plane 2-2 in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a plan view looking down upon Fig. 1 with the heat insulating jacket removed from the mold section feeding apparatus and one mold section partially broken away to expose its underlying elevator platform.

Fig. 4 is a View taken in section through the elevatingl apparatus on the plane 4-4 in Fig. 2, looking in the `direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a lengthwise contracted side eleva-1 tion of the work discharging end of the vulcanizing machine and of the mold take-olf and retrleving apparatus joined thereto as at the left end of Fig. 1, parts being shown in section on the plane 5-5 of Fig.l 6 looking in the direction of the arrows and shown on a larger scale than are the parts in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan view looking downward upon Fig. 5 with the base partition of the heat insulating jacket broken laway and the mold section and the roof of said jacket omitted, certain parts being shown as contracted in length.

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the elevator platform and associated parts removed'from thev Fig. 10 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of one guide spool for the elevator platform taken in section on the plane 'I5-I0 in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. ll is a fragmentary. View of the lower adjustable stop for the guide spool of Fig. 10 shown on a correspondingly enlarged scale and taken in section on the plane II-I I in Fig. 5, the parts arrested thereby appearing in broken lines.

Fig. l2 is a view looking from the section planes I2-I2 in Fig. 11 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary View taken in section on the plane I3-I 3 in Fig. 5 looking in the direcltion of the arrows and contracted in width.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary View taken in section on the plane II-M in Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the' arrows showing on a larger scale than in Fig. 13 a section of one edge portion of one mold section together with` its underlying support roller.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view ofl one of the sets lof gears appearing in Fig. 3

' for receiving the mold sections fromv the eleva- -tor platform and feeding them toward the vulcanizing machine.

Fig. 16 is a correspondingly enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the sets of anged thrust wheels for aligning the mold sections laterally after they have passed the gears ofFig. .15.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary plan view showing on a scale corresponding to Fig. 15 one of the limit switches appearing close to one of the sai'd gear aaoasee sets in Fig. 2 together with parts operatively associated therewith.

Fig. 18 isa view taken in section on the plane Iii-I8 in Fig. 16 looking in the direction of the matic system by which the mold section take-off and retrieving apparatus of Figs. 5 and 6 is automatically controlled and operated.

Fig. 22 is a diagram of the electrical and pneumatic system by which the mold section elevating and reentering apparatus of Figs. 2, 3, andv 4 is automatically controlled and operated.

Fig. 23 is acontracted View on a much enlarged scale taken through the upper mold sections of the endless chain and the lower mold plates mating therewith on the plane 23-23 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the plane 24-24 in Fig. 2 showing the safety stop mechanism.

Fig. 25 is a view taken in section on the plane 25-25 in Fig. 24 looking in the direction of the arrows showing the stop arm arresting one mold plate. l

Fig. 26 is a view similar to Fig. 25 showing the stop arm acting on the mold plate to cause the latter to resume its coasting travel.

Fig. 27 is a plan View of a coasting brake device stationed at the near side of theinclined track of rollers in Fig. 1.

Continuous process vulcanizing machine With but relatively minor changes the processing, or continuous process vulcanizing machine, making use of the mold section retrieving and reentering apparatus of these improvements may be like that disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 2,288,611, granted to Ludolf H. De Wyk, the same being a machine adapted to vulcanize sponge rubber strips uniformly in unlimited lengths as a continuous process. equivalent vulcanizing machine are shown in the drawings hereof to illustrate the manner in which the formerly employed lower train of pivotally connected narrow mold sections may according to the present improvements be replaced by very long rigid unconnected mold plates, themselves unsuited to being pivotally interconnected as, or by, links of an endless form of chain as a means of returning them to a position to reenter the processing machine.

That much of the structure of the vulcanizingA machinev which remains in the form shown in said co-pending application is designated herein by like reference characters thereby to facilitate identifying and comparing the parts of the present machine with those of the earlier application. Among these are legs I0, I0 supporting the lower horizontally extending frame .beams II, I2 and the upper horizontally extending frame beams I'I and I8 of the vulcanizing machine. The horizontal shaft I9 carries spaced wheels 20 and 22 and is journaled in bearing housings 23 and 24 supported respectively on the upper frame beams I1 and I8 at the work receiving end of the vulvcanizing machine.

End portions of a like or supported respectively on the upper frame beams I1 and I8 similarly to housings 23 and 24 at the work discharging end of the vulcanizing machine.

An endless chain of mold sections 83 is movably supported in the manner of an endless belt by wheels 20, 22, 30 and 32 so that the lower stretch of this chain may travel endlessly through the heat zone of the vulcanizing machine whose length occupies the central. stretch 38 of the structure represented in Fig. 1. The construction of this chain of upper mold sections 83 may be as is fully' illustrated and described in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,288,611. Likewise there is carried by the lower frame beam II a series of freely turnable track rollers |02 which will be understood to extend the full length of the processing station or heat zone of the vulcanizing machine 38 in a manner to form a support track for the elongated slab-like form of mold sections or plates 4'0 newly comprising the train of work carrying lower mold sections of these improvements.

The present invention is in large part concerned with ways and means of retrieving such elongated mold plates or' sections one by one as they pass out of the Work discharging end of the machine, and of reentering them successively as restored members of the continuous train of plates continually traveling into and through the vulcanizing machine. The apparatus for so retrieving and reentering the new mold plates is divided into two main groups of parts, one of which indicated as a whole by 31 in Fig. l, is joined to the work discharging end of the vulcanizing machine and the other of which, indicated as a whole by 39 in Fig. l, is joined to the work intake end of the vulcanizing m-achine.

In general the purpose and function of the `mold take-off and retrieving apparatus 31 and of the mold elevating and feed-in apparatus 39 will be plain from the schematicview of the vulvcanizing machine 38 combined with such apparatus as shown in Fig. I. Here one of the elongated mold plates 40 is shown in broken lines as occupying diiferent positions in its circuitous course of travel from the entrance of the processing station to the exit therefrom and back again' to the entrance as indicated by the arrows D. In

`this route of travel the mold plate is neither nected links. The present apparatus has therefore been devised for retrieving and reentering such long rigid mold plates so that' an unbroken train of them may, without manual attendance, always be traveling in a continuous procession through the processing station in face-to-face contact and in unison with the mold sections 83 of the upper articulated chain, and while themselves unconnected in any manner.

An impelling force for'the mold sections at the work entering end of the vulcanizing machine (Figs, 2 and. 3) and a retarding force for the.

mold sections at the work discharging end of the turns horizontal shaft |29. which turns bevel gear |30 which turns bevel gear |22 and thereby vertical shafts II1 at equal speeds at each side of the machine. Spur gears lli-respectively xed on said shafts, impel constantly toward the left in Figs. 2 and 3, the entire train of mold platesl 40 which are passing through the heat zone of the vulcanizing machine, by turning in mesh with a continuous rack I3 of 'gear teeth xed along the edges of said plates as hereinafter more fully to be described. In Fig. 2 the chain of short 83. A power transmission capable of slippage is machine is located. Preferably some room or* provided between gear II5 and gear |44 in the form of a belt |50 by means of which a pulley |5| fast to gear ||5 drives a pulley |52 of like diameter fast to gear |44. The shafts of gears II5 and |44 are each journaled in the stationary frame of the vulcanizing machine at each side of the procession of mold sections moving thereinto. Gears I|5 and |44 will ordinarily impel mold sections 40 and 83 at like speeds and in unison through the machine. Under some circumstances gear |44 may be omitted and the movement of mold plates 40 will carry moldvsections 83 with them.

The retardlng gears |41 and |45 are in mesh rwith the rack teeth on each side of mold sections 40 and 83 respectively at the work discharging end of the machine and subject to individual braking action as fully disclosed in the said Patent No. 2,288,611, for the purpose of holding pressed together the adjoining ends of mold plates 40, 40 etc. land mold sections 83,v 83, etc. as they travel-through the vulcanizing machine.

' Take-017* and retrieving apparatus The take-off portion of this apparatus operates within a skeleton framework joined to the work discharging end of the vulcanizing machine. This frameworkincludes channel iron posts 4I and 42, there being two of the posts 4I each carrying xed thereonl a vertical guide plate 43 containing an elbow-shaped slot, 44, and there being two of the posts 42 each carrying a guide framework may stand independently on theI oor 41 of the room in which the yulcanizing basement is accessible therebelow.

' A take-off platform 48 whose construction is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may d escend and ascend in a veering path of movement determined by the slots 44 and 46 and is comprised A of side irons 49 rigidly connected by cross rods vulcanizing machine (Fig. 5) are applied by 50 on each of whose ends, outwardly of theside irons, is rotatably carried a guide spool 5| so tha't a similar guide spool is located at each of the four corners of the open platform 48 and vrides in one of the slots 44 or 46. An enlargeinto working engagement ,.therewith. Each of rods 50 has secured to each extreme end thereof by a pin 36 a thrust collar 35 as shown in Fig.

'elongated slots in stop plate 68 and have threaded engagement with guide plate 45, the stop plate can be assembled on the guide plate in a vertically adjustable manner and conveniently adjusted after assemblage for varying the top limit of travel of the guide roller and consequently of each lcorresponding corner of the take-off platform.

The bottom limit of travel of each guide roller and corresponding corner of the take-off platform is adjustable by means of the parts shown in Figs. ll and 12 wherein lower angle piece 25 is secured in fixed position on guide plate 68 by bolts 26. Upper angle piece 21, however, has vertically elongated 4slots 28 accommodating shanks of the bolts 3| which have threaded `engagement with the guide plate 45. When bolts 3| are loosened the adjustor bolt 2| may be turned in the flange of angle piece 25 with which it has threaded engagement thereby to bearrup- Wardly or let down on angle piece 21.

Also spanning the space between side irons 49 and retained in bearings 66 thereon by cotter pins 61 are two additional cross rods 52 each of which is assembled rigidly with the joint block 53 of a piston stem 54 whose piston head 55 slides vertically lengthwise Within a hollow pneu.A

matic cylinder 56. At its bottom end each of cylinders 56' is swingably mounted on a stationary pivot I5'| supported at the top of a floor standard 58. Each piston stem 54 has full size tight engagement near its upper end with a bore Ain block 53 and further has a terminal 54 of reduced diameter which passes through and has a tight fit with both the cross rod 52 and the upper portion of the block 53 being threaded above the latter to take the nut I I8.

For receiving the long rigid mold plate 46 as the latter is slowly discharged endwise'from the vulcanizling machine 38, a series of freely turn-v able rollers 59 spans the space between side irons 49 of the dropv platform and are journaled therein as best shown in Fig. 14.

` The crosssectional shape of the mold sections or plates is, in certain edge portions thereof, as shown in Fig. 14. bars I3 are secured by bolts I4 in overlapping relation to each edge`portion of the mold plate,

each such rack bar having .the downwardly diof the racks I3, keys 94, and grooves |03 coextensive with the length of the mold plate 49.

. The rollers, themselves, may be hollow or solid and may'have the hexagonal core shaft I6 extending loosely through a clearance bore length wise of the roller and projecting from each end of the roller.V An oversize aperture 10 permits the core shaft loosely to penetrate the side iron Gear-toothed rack 49 of the take-off platform andthe hexagonal cross sectional shape of said shaft interlocks rotatively in a correspondingly Anotched upper edge of a bearing plate 9| secured to the inner A ring 93 tically elongated holes are provided for bolts y 92 in side iron 49 and aperture 10 is'larger than the hexagonal sleeve 11.' This is useful for v correcting planar alignment of the rollers.

Each end of shaft 'I1 carries the inner race of the radial and thrust type ball bearing occupying each hollow end of each roller, and

whose outer race turns fixedly with the roller. v

Thus every roller turns with the utmost ease and freedom from. 4friction and all bearing dutyis taken by the balls, While the core shaft and its hexagonal' sleeve remain stationary with. the frame parts by which-they are supported. Each of the side irons49 also carries fixedly on its top a guard rail 60`to provide more accurate lateral positioning of the mold plate than the roller ends alone can be depended upon to insure.

In horizontal alignment with the upper or elevated position of take-off platform 48, stationary parallel side bars 6| are fast to and extend from frame beams |2 of the vulcanizing machine and serve to support bearings for the freely turnable rollers 62'whic`n may be mounted therebetween according to the construction shown in Fig.

14, thus forming a continuation of the antifrictional track for the mold plates 40, which track within the vulcanizing machine itself is afforded by the rollers |02. On a lower level, and extending the entire length of the vulcanizing mal a' down-hillv antifrictional track on which thel mold plates 40 may coast along the entire length of the vulcanizing machine in a return route from the work discharging end vof the processing sta tion in the vulcanizing machine back to the Work receiving end thereof. All of the structure and apparatus represented i Fig. 1 is preferably encased by a heat retainingjacket 65 of suitable refractory and. insulative character to prevent loss of heat from the mold plates 40 'as fully as agencies well known as to nature and therefore not necessary to be described as to structure.

These agencies are fully represented in the electro-pneumatic diagram of Fig. 21.

Operation of take-017 and retrieving;` apparatus Referring most particularly to .diagrammatic Fig. 21, two positions of the take-off platform 48 emerging from the vulcanizing machine, the limit are indicated in broken lines.` Therebelow the pneumatic cylinders 56 are shown in light full lines together with air conduits 20| and '202 which will be comprised of flexible. hose or the like because they connect respectively to the lower ends of the swingable cylinders 56. Conduits 20! and 202'join and are connected by a common pipe line 203 to the electromagnetically operated valve 204.

A second pipe 205 leads to valve 204 from a constantlsupply'of compressed air (not shown) while a third 'pipe 206 leads from valve 204 throughan adjustable throttling device VT to any exhaust outlet or place of atmospheric pressure. Valve operating arm 201 is shown in full lines as positioning the valve ports to pass compressed air from pipe 205 to pipe 203 and thus to inject pressure iiuid beneath the pistons in cylinders 56 to cause them to hold the platform 48 elevated in its uppermost horizontal position. Valve arm 201 is held in this position by the electrically energized solenoid coil 208 which overcomes the tension in spring 209 tending to pull valve arm 201 to its broken line position. Coil 208 isenergized by electric current supplied from conductor mains 2I0 and 2H through ,one pair of self-opening contacts'2 I2 of a remote control switch or relay, whose solenoid 2i 3 when electrically energized closes said contacts 2| 2. Heavy single lines in Fig. 21 represent electrical conductors completing the above mentioned circuit connections for the valve coil 208 and also conductors for other circuit connections governing electrical energization of the relay solenoid 2I3, itself, as follows. The relay includes a second pair of self-opening contacts 214 closable in unison with contacts 2I2 by the relay solenoid 2 I3 when the latter is energized. Relay contacts 2|4. are electrically Yconnected in series with the normally closed contacts of a limit switch 2I5 (see Fig. 5) mounted on platform 48 and wired' by trailing conductors, and with the coil of relay solenoid 2I3 itself. Relay contacts 2|4 are further electrically connectedv in parallel relation with the normally open contacts of a second limit switch 2| 6 (seeFig. 1 for location of thislimit switch in the apparatus). l The circuit will be seen to be such that the contacts of limit switches 215 and 21'6 are in series with each other and with the solenoid 2 l 3 of the relay so that the following cycle of operation of the take-oli apparatus is initiated, carried through, and. terminated automatically in 4response to the movements ofthe mold section or plateas it is ejected from the discharge end of the vulcanizing machine onto the take-off platform 48.

The limit switchesherein employed are illustrative of any form of electric current controlling device which will be operatively sensitive to the` arrival anddeparture of the mold sections one at atime in relation to predetermined stations or locations in the apparatus. electric eye, or photoV electric vcurrent governing cell or other well known devices for equivalent purposes might be employed in their stead. Each limit switch as used herein may comprise a case containing the circuit controlling contacts and an exterior swingable contact actuating arm'such as 211. The free end of this arm is normally positioned by a spring, or otherwise, to occupy the path of travel of the mold section or plate and to be swung out of such path by engagement of some suitable part of the mold section in passing.

Thus when the left or leading edge of mold plate 40 reaches its position shown in Fig. 5 after -switch 2I5 which is mounted on the take-off platform 48 is actuated thereby and its contacts opened. lBefore this has happened, both relay contacts 2l2 and 2I4 were held closed by the energized solenoid 2I3. Now, however, solenoid 2l3 becomes deenergized and contacts 2I2 and sired degree by adjustment vof throttling valve VT. Y

Platform 48 will now descend under its own Weight (combined with that of the mold plate) rst veering to the left as occasioned by slots 44 and 48 and correspondingly separating the mold plate 40 endwse from the like mold plate that is following it and still emerging from the vulcanizing machine. Descent of the platform will be retarded to the extent of the time required for the pressure iiuid to leave the cylinders and is finally arrested by angle pieces 21 in an inclined posi- Ation as indicated in broken lines in Figs. 5 and 21. In this descent of its take-offvplatform the -left end in Fig. 5, which is most remote from the vulcanizing machine, will begin and complete its descent before the right end respectively begins and completes its descent because of the manner in which the cylinders 56, 56 are spaced from y left to right in relation to the center of gravity 0f the take-off platform. It is obvious from inspection of Fig. 5 that the cylinder at the left is subjected to a preponderance of vthe total weight and therefore the piston in this cylinder having only the same force of iluid pressure supporting it as has the piston in the other cylinder, will yield more readily and effect the tilting referred to. This insures that the mold plate 40 will not coast toward the right and off from the descending platform rollers 59 before the leftv end of the platform has reached its lowest position. After this has happened however, the'right end of the platform continues to descend until eventually its direction of tilting is reversed because the stop pieces 21 are so arranged. This serves to dump the mold plate oi Thus a so-called 'of the latter automatically close again.

the platform 'and start it coasting alongvthe the latter remains cut off from the current main Y 2H at the open relay contacts 2|4 and also at the normally open contacts of limit switch 216. Hence the relay contacts 2|2 continue to remain open and no change in the condition of the pneumatic system through valve 204 at this time occurs. Only after the entire length of the mold plate has coasted o from the platform 48 can the limit switchl 2|6 be reached and actuated by the self-returning mold plate. When this occurs the normally open contacts in limit switch 2IB become closed (temporarily during the passing of the coasting mold plate) and this completes the connection of relay solenoid 2|3 to the current main 2| l, limit switch 2|5 having formerly become closed as stated. The consequent energizing of relay solenoid 2l3 restores all electrical and pneumatic agencies to their condition shown in the diagram of Fig. ,21 whereupon pressure fluid will reenter the cylinder 56 and lift the platform 48 to its uppermost position, empty and ready to receive the next mold plate which during the downward excursion of the platform has continued slowly to emerge from the vulcanizing machine. When the mold plate which the plat'- form 48 has last dumped onto the rollers 64 has completely passed limit switch 2| 6 the latter is left normally open ready to repeat its participation in the cycle of take-off and retrieving operation which has now been fully described.

In case of-failure of lthe platform 48 to descend promptly and carry the mold section 40 with which it is loaded downward and out of the pathof the oncoming following mold plate, additional safety limit switch 2|8 may be provided which will be engagedand operated by the traveling mold plate and which is'electrically connected in a manner to shut off the power which is impelling the mold sections through and out of the lvulcanizing machine, in other words the power which drives wheel |32 in Figs. 2-and 3 such as `the power of the electric motor shown in the not have traveled far enough endwise therealongto ever reach this emergency limit switch 2 I8 before the mold plate is carried downwardly with the platform. l A

Elevating and safety apparatus Similarly to the retrieving apparatus, the elevating apparatus operates with a skeleton framework joined to the opposite, or work receiving, end of the vulcanizing machine. work includes channel posts 1| and 12,there being two vof the posts 4| each supporting rigidly by means of angle irons |93 a vertical guide plate 13 containing the elongated vertical slot 14 enlarged at 14 and there being two of the posts 12. each carrying a guide plate 15 containing an elongated slot 16 enlarged at 16'. The tops and bottoms of slots 14 and 16 are equipped with adjustable stop pieces such as shown in Figs. 10, ll and 12. The posts 1| and 12 together with any additional posts that may be needed, are braced in relation to one another by suitable cnnecting irons and trusses not necessary here to be sh'own in detail but serving the purpose of makingthe skeleton framework self rigid and fastzto the vulcanizing machine so that this framework may stand independently on-the floor 41.

An elevator platform indicated as a whole by 18, and whose construction is best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and '1, is movablev up and down in a path determined by slots 14 and 16 and includes side irons 19 rigidly connected by cross rods-80. 0n

the end of'each of rods 80 outside the side irons 19 is rotatably carried a guide spool 5I, one such spool being thus located at each of the four corners of the elevator platform 18 and riding lengthwise of one of the slots 14 and 16. In its lowest inclined position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, platform 18 aligns with and is tilted to accord with the inclined track of rollers 64.

In its uppermost position shown in full lines the platform is horizontal. These bottom and top extreme positions for the platform may be determined by stop pieces mounted on guide 'plates 13 and 15 according to the constructions shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 and hence are not specifically illustrated in Figs. 2 and '1.

Such' frame- Also spanning the space between side irons 19 are two additional cross rods 82 each of which is made fast to the joint block I |8 of a piston stem 84 with the help of a nut II8 locking an assembly of the parts like that shown in Fig. 13. A piston head 85 connected tostem 84 slides Vertically lengthwise within each of the two pneumatic cylinder casings A86, 86. Atits bottom end each of the cylinders 86 is mounted on a hanger plate 81 clamped to the under surface of floor 41 by bolts 88. This form of support for cylinder 86 develops in practice to provide all necessary give or sway of the piston rods 84 laterally and relative to eachI other .to accommodate the minute change in horizontal spacing of pivot rods 82, 82 that results from tilting of the side irons 19.

For receiving one of the long rigid mold plates 40 as the latter coasts endwise off from th'e rollers 64 of the inclined return track, a series of rollers 89 turning upon ball bearings spans the space between side irons 19 of the elevator platform and mounted on cross bars 91 rigid with th'e guard rails |96. Plate 96 contains a slot 98 opening through one end. .A plunger head 99 is free to slide lengthwise in this slot andpresents its lower impeller end'I00 in the path of travel of the leading end of the moldplate when thelater has coasted a sufficient distance onto platform 184 supported by rollers 89. Plunger head 99 is rigid with a piston stem |0| wlios'e -piston head |04 reciprocates lengthwise in l, the vhorizontal cylinder 95.

As safety mechanism to prevent coasting of' a mold plate oif from the track of rollers 64 when the elevator platform is not in position to receive it, there is supported in xed relation to the auxiliary beam 63 in Figs. 2 and 3 a shaft |05 journaled in laterally spaced floor standards |06. Shaft |05 carries xedly thereon between said floor standards two laterally spaced safety blocking or stop arms |01 whose top ends are capable of being swung upwardly in-unison into the path of travel of the mold plate as the -latter coasts down the inclined track on rollers 64. Also fixed to shaft |05 is a crank arm |08 to whose free end is pivoted the ,top of apiston stem |09 whose piston head IIO -is vertically slidable in the pneumatic cylinder casing III supported to swing on th'e pivotli2 rigidly carried on the hanger plate I I3 which is clamped to the 'under surface of Y floor 41 by bolts II4. One exible hose 330 communicates with the interior of cylinder III a1- -ways above piston head |04 while flexible hose 344 communicates with the interior of this cylind'er always below said piston head.

'I'he foregoing describes the lstructural features of the mold plate' elevating and safety apparatus. Its intermittent and repeated 4operation in properly timed relation to the progress of the mold sections constantly traveling through th'e vulcanizing machine is effected and controlled by additional agencies well known as to nature and therefore ngt necessary to be described as to structure. These agencies are fully represented in the electro-pneumatic diagram of Fig. 22.

tilted position.

Operation of the elevating and safety apparatus with, the platform 18. Air conduits 30| and 302 will consequently comprise flexible hose or the like so that one endofI each conduit may travel freely with cylinder 95 while the otherends communicate with the respective stationary pipe lines 303 and 304. Each of pipes 303 and 306 leads to the electromagnetically operated valve 305. A third pipe 306 leads to valve 305 from a constant supply of compressed air (not shown) whileai'ourth pipe 381 leads from valve 305 through' an adjustable .throttling device VT to any exhaust outlet or place of atmospheric Valve operating arm 308 is shown in full tion of the relay solenoid 328, itself. as hereinafter to be described. This relay includes a second pair of self-opening contacts 329 closable in unison with contacts 321 `by the relaysolenoid 328 when the latter is energized.

I n conjunction with the relays and their lcon-- tacts which have been described'. four limitA switches are mounted at various points on moving or stationary parts of the apparatus each of whose location is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and is atically indicated in Fig. -22. Limit switch 333 has self opening contacts and determines when the plunger head 99. shall moveto the rightand is mounted on the top of one of the platform carried guard rails 90 approximately midway the length of the platform 19. and its actuating arm falls in the path of travel of theedge of mold plate as the plate coasts onto the. platform. Limit switch 334 has self opening contacts and determines when the plat, form shall start to rise andis likewise mounted on the top of one of the platform vcarried guard 90 but near the end of the platform remote from the vulcanizing machine. Limit switch 335 has self closing contacts and insures that platform 18 can not begin to rise when lswitch 334 is closed unless and until the. last `mold plate 40 tance from the right end of cylinder .95. Valve l arm 308 is held in this position by the spring 309 'which may be overcome by the pull of solenoid coil 3|0 toward the left to its broken line posicuit connection for valve coil 3|0. and also other circuit connections for governing electrical energization of the relay solenoid 3M, itself, as

later to be described. This relay includes a second pair of self opening contacts 3|5 which are closable in unison with contacts 3I3 by the 'relay'solenol'd 3M 'when the latter is energized.

The pneumatic cylinders 86 are provided with Joint pipe connection 320 leading to their respective bottom ends from the electromagnetically operated` valve 32|.

323 leads from valve 32| through an adjustable A second pipe 322. leads to valve 32| from a constant supply of compressed air '(not shown) while a third pipe v which Vwas discharged from the platform has .suiliciently progressed away from the path of a subsequently rising mold, plate to prevent interference therebetween. This switch 335 is supported from one of the frame posts 12 and its l described. Limit switch 336 has self closing contacts and serves to initiate the departure of the 'mold plate from platform 18 -by causing the plunger head 99 to act when the platform has reached its uppermost position. 'Ihis limit switch 336 is supported from the-posts 1I audits actuating arm falls in the path of 4a projection 331 carried by the platform. vLimit switch 336 has selfopening .eontacts and serves to determine when the path of coasting travel of returning mold plates 40 shall be blocked and cleared -at a point -to prevent a mold plate from coasting toward the elevator platform -18 when the latter is not in position to receive it. This switch is supported from frame post 12 and its actuating arm falls in the path of downward movement of the left end of elevator platform 18 or of somesuitableprojection4 carried thereby.

throttling devicel VT to any exhaust outlet or place of atmospheric pressure. Valve operating arm 324 is shown in -full lines as positioning the ports of valve 32| to pass ,compressed air from pipe 320 to pipe 323 and thus to exhaust pressure fluid from beneath the-plstons in cylinders 8S to permltthe platform 1.8 to drop to its lowermost.'V

Valve arm 323 is held in this position by the spring 326 which may be overco'me by the pull of solenoid coil v325 toward' the left to its broken line position when this Icoil is electrically energized. Coil 4325 is energized by electric current which may be supplied from the conductor mains 3|| and 3|2 through one pair of self-opening contacts 321 of a remote control switch or relay whose solenoid 328 when electrically energized closes said contacts 321. 'Other The automatically repeated cycles of mold plate elevating and discharging` action are effected by the electropneumatic system of Fig. 22 in the following manner.

Whenapproximately half the length of a mold plate has coasi'ed toward the right on' from the because undisturbed by the projection 331 on' the lowered platform, the relay solenoid 3M he-V -comes energized iron'iA the mains .3|I and SI2 through closed limit switches 333 and 336 which are in series relationship. -Solenoidv3l4 thereupon closes both pairs of relay contacts 3|3 and 3|5 andthe magnet coil 3|0 becomes energized through contacts 3I3 and swings valve arm 308 toward the left rotating the .ports lof valve 335 a quarter turn counterclockwise, whereupon pressure fluid passesfrom supply pipe 306 through pipe303 and conduit 30| to the left side. of the piston head |04 cylinder 95 andthe pressure fluid is exhausted from the right side of piston f head |04 through conduit 302, pipe 304 and pipe 301 with a rapidity determined by the adjustive setting of the throttling valve VT. The plunger head-99 is thus conditioned by the action of the uid pressure to act as a buffer to slow up the speed of the heavy arriving mold plate and check its .momentum without shock to the mechanical parts. When the p1 ger head, followedby the l0 )Ligas moved out as far as it will reach from the right en d of the cylinder 95 arriving mold plate,

the mold plate willehave 'come to rest, and the arrival of its leading edge at the position of limit y switch 334 will have closed the contacts of the 16 latter. This will produce no immediate active effect in the system unless and until the contacts of limit switch 335 shall also have become closed, which ispermitted only. when the trailing end of the next preceding mold plate has 20 passed limit switch 335 in its travel toward the left on its way to` the vulcanizing machine and thus has cleared the path for the succeeding mold plate now to be elevated. Now, when limit switch 335 also becomes closed the relay solenoid 323 will become energized from the mains 3| Il and l3l2 thereupon closing both pairs of relay contacts 321 and 329. The magnet coil 325 is electrically energized through relay contacts 321 and swings valve arm 324 toward the left rotating the ports of valve 32| a quarter turn counterclockwise whereupon pressure uid passes from supply pipe 322 through pipe line 3,20 into the bottom' of both cylinders 30 and acts upwardlyon the piston heads to lift the elevator platform 13. 35-

During this lifting action the right end of the elevator platform, which is most remote from the vulcanizing machine in Figs. 2 and 22, will remain lower than the left end with the result that the left end arrives at its topmost position first 40 and is arrested there while the originally lower right end completes a suiilciently greater upward travel to bring the platform Iinto a horizontal plane. This insures that the moldl plate will have no tendency while being lifted to coast o from the platform toward the left. ,It is held from coasting toward the right by means of the plunger head 93. It will be noted that the piston Joint blocks l|3 are so spaced longitudinally of the platform 1s that the center of gravity of the 50 latter is nearest the bearing' block that is most remote from the vulcanizing machine. This, coupled with the greater vertical length of the guide slots 14 and the greater vertical travel of piston bearing block ||3 nearest thereto. accom- 55 plishes the described changes in the| tilted condition of the platform for the purposes explained. While not appearing in Figs. 2 .and '1, the adjustable stop means shown in Figs. 10 and 11'are applied to the top and bottom, respectivelmof each slot 14 and 13 on guide plates 13 and 15 to predetermine separately adjustable limits of both up and down movement for each corner of the elevator platform 13.

Upon arrival of the originallyv lower end of 35 platform 13 at its uppermost position,v the pro..

jection 331 carried by the platform engages and throws the actuating ann of limit switch 333 .thereby opening its'normally closed contacts.

Relay solenoid m is immediately @energized 1.

and permits both pairs of contacts 3|3 and 3|! to open in unison. 'I'his deprives magnet coil i 3|3, of current and permits spring 303 to restore arm 333 to its full line position shown in Fig. 22.

The portsof valve 305 are thus rotated a quarter u turn clockwise and restore the pipe communications shown in Fig. 22 whence fluid pressure is transferred from the left side to the right side of piston head |04 in cylinder 95. This causes plunger head to move toward the left in Figs. 2 and 8 shoving before it the mold plate 40 whose departure from the elevator platform 13 is thus initiated. i

While the elevator platform occupied its lowermostposition the limit switch 333A having normally open contacts was held closed by engagement with its operating arm of the left end of the platform. Upon departure of the platform upwardly this limit switch is permitted to open whereby current'from the mains 3|| and 3|2 is cutoff from the magnet coil 33 0 of the safety block control valve 340. This permitsr spring 34| to pull arm 342 of valve 340 toward the right andkrotate the valve ports ka quarter turn clockwise. Pressure fluid is then delivered from the supply pipe 343 through hose 344 into the bottom of the safety block control cylinder where it acts upwardly upon the piston head ||0 and swings the safety blocking or stop arms |01 into the' latter shall be released to continue its coastingtravel toward the elevator platform.

To receive the mold plate as its departureI from the elevated platform toward the left in Figs. 2 and 3 is initiated by the impelling movement of plunger head 33, certain feedingin apparatus is employed located between the elevator platform and the vulcanizing machine as hereinafter described. Here it will sufllce to say that once started on its journey toward the vulcanizing machine by plunger head 33., the duty of impelling mold plate 43 toward the left is taken up and carried on by such feeding-in apparatus. ment with limit switch 334 the contacts of the latter automatically open and when a half or` more'of the length of the mold plate has passed the extreme left end of the elevator platform the contacts in limit switch335 (see Figs. 3 and 17) are caused to open. This is accomplished mechanically by providing the toothed rack bar I3 with a continuous groove I2| (Figs. 14 and 17). This groove is deeper than the height of the rack teeth and cuts through theseteeth along half of the length of each mold plate from the leading o r left'end of the latter in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 17

shows groove |2I terminated or running out at'4 about a midway point in the length of the'mold plate and partly occupying this groove is a feeler lever |43 rockable on the frame pivot |43 and biased counterclockwise by the tension of alight Spring |33 stretched between the right-end of lever |33 and a frame anchorage |54 in a manner normally to hold lever -|43 in itsposition abuttins against the corner of the limit swltchcasing as shown. The end of feeler lever |43 has a suitably shaped headffor cumming itself out of 4groove |2| asthe dead end |3| of the latter passes it, after vwhich thehead of lever |43'bears smoothly against the tops of the rack teeth as vthey ride successively by it, the bearing surface of this leverhe'ad being long enough'to straddle.

As the mold plate leaves its engage-V the tops of any two adjacent rack teeth. It is thus seen that lever |48 becomes rocked clockwise and correspondingly shifts the actuating arm of limit switch 335 when approximately a midwaypoint in the length of the mold plate 40 reaches this limit switch. This causes the normally closed contacts in limit switch 335 to become open until the trailing or right end of the mold pl'ate passes this switch in its travel toward the vulcanizing machine. At this time enough of the length of the mold plate has passed off from the elevator platform to relieve this platform from its duty of supporting the mold plate,

mitting both pairs of relay contacts 321 and 329 to open in unison. This deenergizes the magnet coil 325 of valve 32| and spring 326 restoresy the latter to its full line condition shown in Fig. 22 wherein the lii't pistons in cylinders 35 are deprived of fluid pressure at .a rate determined by the adjustive setting of throttle valve VT. Thereupon elevator platform 18 descends empty toits bottom tilted position again, ready to receive the 4next returning mold plate. The departure of the. platform projection 331 from limit `switch 336 permits the contacts in the latter to cated in Fig. 1. The leaf spring member or click 25| is secured at one of its ends against the inner surface of the frame beam or |2 of the vulcanizing machine by bolts 252 in such position that its free end is wiped by the rack teeth |3 on the edge ofmold plate 40 as the latter coasts past it. The resilient pressure of the brake member 25| against the rack teeth is varied by adjusting the regulating screw 253 which has threaded engagement with the frame `beam and bears on member 25| at its inner end.V

lAll parts 'have now resumed the conditions in which they are represented in Fig. 22 ready to repeat the cycle of operations of lifting another mold plate and discharging it from the elevator platform. 'I'he cycle cannot be repeated, however, until thetrailing or right end of the last mold plate to be elevated and discharged has passed the limit switch 335 and allowed the contacts thereof to close by permitting feeler |48 to- The feed-in apparatus This is best shown in Figs. 2, 3,15, an'd 17 to 20, inclusive. Its moving parts are mounted on close without any immediate active eiect upon the system.

The arrival of the empty elevator platform at its bottom position closes the' contacts oi' limit switch 338'.' This energizes magnet coil 333 of the safety block control valve 34which restores' the ports of this' valve to full llneposition shown inv Fig. 22. -This exhausts the pressure fluid through hose 334 and pipe 33| from the lower end of cylinder below piston ||0 which has stood ready to resists the coasting of any returning` mold block past the stoparms |31. At the-same time pressure. fluid is supplied through hose 33| to the top end. of cylinder above piston ||3 'y forcing the latter slowly downward.

. As best shown in Figs. 25and 26, the consequent clockwise swinging' .of |41' will rst slightly lift the leading edge ofthe arrested 'mold plate 44 and while bearing the weight of the late ter will drag the plate toward the right a short distance and by continued clockwise swinging deliver the plate fully `to the inclined track of rollers 44 and clear its path ss shown in broken path. The mold plate then proceedsto coast on tothe elevator platform which has been restored to position for receiving it.

unavoidable irregularities in construction -it advisable as a factor of safety top itch'the incline of the track f rollers at an Aangle-which may upon occasion 'cause the mold-plate to pick up too much speed as it coasts down this-incline toward safety stops |01. Thi's'speed a framework interposed longitudinally between the channel post 12 and the receiving end of the vulcanizing machine. Thisframework includes the upper angle irons |9| extending longitudinally of the apparatus from the frame of the` vulcanizing machine to thechannel posts 12 on a levelwith the topinost position of elevator platform 13, and the more widely spaced angle irons` |23 whichextend the entire length of the combined feeding-in apparatus and elevating and safetyl apparatus at a lower level than angle irons |3| to help make all of the said apparatus rigid l with the frame of the vulcanizing machine to whose lower frame beams and I2, the angle tacked The space between the top angle irons I 9| is spanned by a series of freely trnable rollers |24 .iournaled' in upright horizontally extending frame* bars' |25 welded or otherwise' rigidly s ecured respectively to the vtop angle irons |3| so that thetops of rollers I24 fal1 in a common horizontal plane with the tops of the track rollers |32 in the vulcanizing machine and with. the tops of rollers Il 'of the elevator platform y13 wh the latter is in its uppermost position. v

- Each frame bar. at a point near the channelposts 12 carries laterally and outwardly offset thereon n mcidplate feeding mechanism; Each combined radial and thrust type ball bearing' within pum block Iza which is secured by bolts |42 tothe framebar |25 and top angle iron |3|.

' The top end of shaft |21 is Journaled in anaddi- Ationalball bearing housed at |91. These and be reduced toaregulatabie degree by click brakes 'associated parts are alike on each side of the stationed along the inclined track in s'uchnumf bers and positions as necessity demands. `Pref erably such brakes will be arranged in pairs, the

apparatus, and constitute duplicate mechanisms located as appearing in Fig. 3. and therefore only one of said mechanisms-need herein be' shown and described in detail.

snm: |21 through ciearnnce 'rieles in' the spaced topand bottom bearing plates |3| andV Fig. 2l.and o suitable location of same is indi- I5 |33 which.- 'are-'made rigid with :'each other by i spacer posts |33, plate |3| carrying rigidly thereon the said ball bearing housing |61. The bottom bearing plate |63 is rigidly mounted on the frame bar |26 with the assistance of angle strip pitch diameter and number of teeth to the feeder gear |26. The distance between centers of gears |26 and |31 should be an -even multiple of the distance between centers of the rack teeth |3 on the mold plates because both of said two gears must at the same time be in mesh with the transl. mission pinion |64 andwith said rack teeth.

sandwiched between receiving gear |31 and the `bearing plates |3|, |63, are the inwardly extending vertically spaced arms' |36 and |36 of a horizontally slidable structure, in each of which arms one end portion of the stud shaft |36 is journaled. Slide arms |36, |36 are rigidly connected at their outer bent-over ends by the vertical strap |46. A hole in each bent-over end of arms |36, |36, and through the corresponding two horizontally extending vertically spaced rods from a mold plate traveling therepast 'on rollers Rods |4| are rigidly supported by threaded end of connectorl strap |46, receives one of the l |4| and guides the structure vcomprised of these three parts so that it may shift toward and away engagement, with blocks |42, respectively, which are rigid with plates |3| and |63. The outer; most ends of rods |4| are also threaded and each receives an adjustorznut |43 and a lock nut |66 f serving to back up a rigid stay strap |64 betweenY which ,and -the slidable structure a coiled spring l|46 is located. One such spring surrounds each of rods |4| and is' under compression tending constantly to thrust the slide arms |36, 36 and thereby the stud shaft |36 and receiving gear |31 inwardly toward a position to mesh with the toothed rack |3 on mold plate 46 as the latter ispushed on from the elevator platform 16 by plunger head 66. Theinnermost position'which receiving gear |31 can assume may be predetermined by the contact of the turned-over ends of mounted on a spanner |66 supported at its ends by the angle irons |23. Thus the two vertical. shafts |21 at each side of the apparatus are driven in unison and at like speedA but in op# posite rotary directions by the cross shaft |61.

At its outermost end, cross shaft |61 carries the frictionally mounted sprocket wheel |66.

The construction of the mounting for sprocket Wheel |66 is best shown in Fig. 15 where the tooth-carrying part of the sprocketwheel is shown as a ringV member secured flxedly on a shouldered hub |61 by pins |66 or other suitable means. Between the smooth flange faceof hub |61 and the corespondingly smooth face of a collar |66 pinned to cross shaft |61 is sandwiched a washer |66 of leather or .other suitable clutch disc material capable4 of imparting power driveV frictionally from the sprocket wheel |66 to shaft |51. Washer |66 may be squeezed between collar |66 and sprocket hub |61 to an adjustable degree by changing the setting of a cupped nut |16 having threaded engagement with the end portion of shaft |61 and locked thereon by the y A thrust spring |12 is under compres- 'Y sion between nut |16 and a cupped washer |13" which is free to slide lengthwise of shaft |51. A ball thrust bearing |14 transmits the thrust of spring |12 to the sprocket wheel hub |61 so that turning of the latter can not exert any strong torque on the parts |16, |1|, |12, |13.

Figs. 2 and 3 show that the drive for sprocket wheel |66 is derived by means of thev long sprocket chain |16 from a smaller sprocket wheel |16 which is fast to power shaft |26'. In the reend of a reentering mold plate 46 impelled by these frictionally driven feeder gears shall over--v take and come into tight contact with the trailing end of a preceding mold plate 46 being P061- tively impelled-into the vulcanizingmachine by arms 133,139 with the blocks |42, or u: preferrea, by tne'contactof the ends stub shaft |36 with the inner extremity of elongated slots |35'in the bearing plates |3|, |63. This limit position of the receiving gear issuch as places it in proper driving mesh with the teeth of rack |3 carried on the edge of the passing mold plate,

but if receiving gear |31A chances, to be approached and engaged -by these rack teeth when this gearis not in proper rotative position to smoothly enter into mesh Awith the latter, springs |46 enable the receiving gear |31 to yield out- 'wardly and thus prevent binding until such time as this shiftable g'ear can automatically find and the power driven gears ||6, before the traveling vpoint of of meeting of said plate ends reaches gears- ||6. l

Further apparatus is provided to insure accurate'lateral positioning of the -mold plate 46 as 'it travels from the elevator platform 16 on toward the vulcanizing machine (toward the left) in Figs. 2 and 3. 'I'his apparatus consists of certain rotatable wheels not driven by power andwhose fimction it is to exert a suitable thrust sidewise on the traveling mold plate thereby to bring the latter into accurate lateral register with the mold plates vwhich are preceding-it into the vulcanizing machine. Figs. 3, 16 and 18 bestv show the construction of these aligning wheels of which one pair of cooperating axially spaced wheels |11 is carried by a cross shaft |16 and another pair of' cooperative axially spaced wheels |16 is carried by a parallel cross shaft |66. Both of shafts m and nu are. nxediy supported in snap 'into its proper mesh with the rack teeth on g the passing mold plate.

Each shaft |21 of feeder gears |26 carries fixed thereon below the bearing box |26 a bevel gear |66. Meshing with each of bevel gears |66 is'a bevel pinion |66. Both bevel pinions |66, |66 arel fixedly rotatable upon the cross shaft |61 which may be journaled-in three bearing brackets similar risers |6| at each, side of the ,machine` and span a space immediately above the path of travelpf the mold plates 46 which pass there- 7 beneath. The risers |6|' carry -bored lugs |62 I for each shaft |16, |66 in which the shaft is re- Y movabiy secured by pins |63; Each of the aligning wheels |11, |16 turns freely on its respective shaft. The wheels |11 are each provided with a .positively and in accurate lateral resister fixed axial thrust on both sides in the form of an inner collar |84 secured to shaft |18 by pin |85 and an-outer collar |86 secured to shaft |18 by pin |81. Each of wheels |11 and |19 has a chamfered peripheral yiiange which acts to receive the key S4 of mold plate 40 and thrust or vcam it laterally into mold centering position if the mold plate is somewhat out of central alignment. Each of wheels |19 is capable of shifting 1^. inwardly along'its shaft` |80 for correcting a greater. degree of plate disalignment than'can wheels |11 and against the resistance of along coiled spring |88v loosely surrounding shaft |80 tendingv constantly to separate wheels |19. This normally keeps these wheels yieldingly .positioned outwardly in limit position determined respectfully by the thrust collars |89 iixedly secured to shaft |80 by the pins |90. Collars |92 are slidable lengthwise of -shaft |80.

In the operation of the feeding-in apparatus all of the gears H5, |26, and |31 are constantly turning, gears |26 and |31 .trave1ing at equal speeds and gear IIS traveling a little more slow 1y. Assuming that the plunger head 99 has vpushed the last mold plate to be elevated, far

enough oil` the elevator platform 18 toward the the trailing ena of tne'lst mold plate or the train that is being impelled into and through the vulcanizing machine by the gears H5. The

I' linear speed of travel ofthe mold plate'being impelled by feed gear |26 exceeds the linear speedof travel of the train of mold plates being r impelled into and through the vulcanizing niachine by power gear ||5 so that the rst said mold plate c'atches up with and abuts end-to-end against the last mold plate of the train as both are traveling toward the vulcanizing machine, firm abutting contact being maintained without binding of the impelling mechanism while the left in Figs. 2 and 3 so that its leading end has arrived opposite the receiving gears |31, the ilrst teeth V.of mold plate racks I3` will engage the teeth of receiving gears |31. If' either of these receiving gears is not in proper rotative position to -mesh smoothly with the rack teeth it will initially be thrust bodily outward away from the rack to prevent any bind occurring from improperLv meshed teeth. Immediately, howeverfand.,

before the first of the rack teeth encounter.l the teeth of feed gears |20, receiving gear |31 will have forced itself into correct full mesh with the rack teeth by'thrusting the arriving mold plate slightly forward or backward 'as the case may be f so that the rack teeth are thereby prepositioned by receiving gear |21 to enter initially into accurate mesh with the teeth of feed gear `|20 upon reaching the latter; The teeth of receiving gear |31 are certain to find and seat promptly in the vspace betweengrack teeth Il instead of riding upon the 'latter' end to end because of the longitudinal movement imparted to the mold plate by the pneumatic' plunger head 99 which movewhich the` ment is faster than Athe linear speed at teeth of gear |31 are driven.V

Having thus been smoothly received by and taken into the impelling control of feed gears m, the mold plate ls fed on toward the vulcanizing machin vcounter the'aligning wheels |19. The chamfered mold plates travel in unison by the clutch slippage permitted between parts |61, |68 and |69. The lateral aligning eiect of wheels |11 upon the keys 94 steer the latter into accurate register with the keyways contained in the upper chain of mold sections 83 just as the keys in the lower mold sections are designed to enter andoccupy such keyways of the upper mold sections in the said Patent No. 2,288,611. Eventually the reentering mold plates are transferred to the track `of rollers |02 as they pass on through the vulcanzing machine held closely end-to-end by the continual pushing of power gears ||5 and the simultaneous and continual holding back action of the-brake gears |41.

In the event that during return travel from l the work discharging end of the vulcanizing machine to the elevator platform 18, some pory should be found to tions'of the mold plates 40 dissipate -too much ofthe heat imparted thereto during their travel through the vulcanizing machine, there vmay be provided directly beneath the lowest position of the elevator platform, suitably located heat generatingburners 345 to which :i'uel gas may be supplied through conduit :4Q

under the control of valve 3.41 as represented in Fig. 22. As shown in Figs.; 2, 3 and-4, burners S45-may be located under the respective end portions of the mold plate E40 when it is in position -on the elevator platform to be elevated thereby.l

It' sometimes develops that the end portions of the mold plates tend to lose heat more rapidly 'than do themidportions. As neither a mold plate 40 `nor the elevator platform 1l is always x present `iust above burners 345, useless and unwanted heat would be' developed if gas were constantly kept burning 'at full force at burners 345.

Hence an additional electromagnetic control system,` as shown in Fig. 22, is employed to keep the gas turned down except when a mold plate arrives on" elevator platform 1I -and 4then to ine over the track rollers |24v until the 55 keys 94 at the leading end of the mold plate enstantly and automatically turnup the gas to guarantee 4a maximum heat at burners 345, but

A only until such time as platform 18 starts to periphery of the flanges of the latter will accommodate any disalignment that can result from the clearance between Ythe rack blockl shoulders II on the mold "plate 4| and the ends of rollers |24 and the spring In wilLvif necessary, permit temporary displacement ot either such aligning ascend and carry upwardly the is thus being reheated.

Two additional umlt swltchesmv and ass are p madeuse of in this vfull gas automatic control f system. Limit switch :u `hns .self-opening conwneellnwardly upon initial contact of the mold plate key. with either aligning wheel, but this tacts and is supported by posts 1| in such position that its actuating arm is engaged by the *'.projection 331 on platform 18 when the latter is ln lowest position therebyv closing the contacts l I of limit switch 348-. Limit switch 365 also' has 1 self-opening-contacts and is supported on the machine 'frame adjacent the linclined track of .rollers 84 in' -such position that its actuating arm vis engaged by 'the-leading edge of a mold plate coasting down the' inclineand f. the contacts of limit switch 35i thereby closedbefore the leading edge of the mold plate reachesthe elevator platform. Thus in the 'positional parts represented mold platev which .flames of the heating burners.

in Fig. 22 where the empty elevator platform is in lowest position, while the contacts of limitswitch 355 are open because as yet no mold plate is approaching the elevator platform, the con.

tacts of limit -switch 343 are closed. Because limit switch 355 is open the relay solenoid 343 is cut off from connection with eiectricalmain 2H and therefore deenergized, permitting its .two self-opening pairs of contacts l35|! and 35| to remain open so that current isl cut ofi' from the magnet coil 352 vof gas valve 341. This permits spring 353 to hold the valve operating arm 354 in its position shownln full lines wherein the valve ports nearly, but not quite, cut oi! the supply of gas to burners 345. In this turned down position of valve 341 enough gas passes -to Vsaid train advance movement thereof through a processing station while forcibly limiting the rate vof said train after said section has passed through of said movement to a designed speed, intermittently removing onesection from the leading end said processing station, transferring said removed section to a position behind said ltrailing end of the train before the' latter enters said' processing station, and then advancing said rethe burners to support very small llames such as will not deliveraii objectionable orwasteful amount ofheat when no mold plate is present on elevator platform 13 to be heated. If prefen-ed, the ports ofvalve 341 can be so arranged that the valve position referred to willcompletely cut ofi instead of-merely turn down the supply movedand transferred mold section inthe direction of travel oi' said train faster than said rate of train movement by applying to said sectionan impelling `force weaker than that which limits said rate' o f train vvxnovernent to said designed 2. 'lhe method of'reentering rigid elongated mold sections at the trailing end of a train of said sectio'ns, which includes the steps of imparting to said train advance movement thereof through a processing station while forcibly limiting the rate of said movement to a designed speed, in-

termittently removing one section from the leading end of said train after said section has passed through said processing station, transferring 'said removed section to a position behind said trailing end of the train before the latter enters said and become instantly closed so that through contacts 350 the magnet coil 352 of valve 341 is energized and overcomes spring 353 thereby swinging arm 354 to the left and rotating -the valv'e ports counterclockwise suiiicientlygto open up a maximumpassage for gas through valve 341 so thatlarge 'flames' thereupon generate an intense heat at burners 345. It is preferable that this should occur before the'mold plate actually arrivesupon the elevator because otherwise the Vrush of air accompanying arrival of the mold j section on the elevator is apt to fan out or extinguish any small pilot flame or lowered gas As soon as the elevator platform begins its ascent the contacts of limit switch 348 are pery 349 whose contacts 350 and 35| open and deener.

gize the valve-magnet coil 352 whose arm and ports are now restored to their full line positions in Fig. 22 by spring 353. Although the next descent of the elevator platform will reclose limittrative of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that this disclosure may be sug- `gestive of equivalent mechanisms, apparatus,

systems and parts thereof which may ,be pro-- "mitted to open andl this deenergizes relay solenoid operative to maintain a vcontinuous train of said l duced in forms differing from the disclosures hereof in many particulars. The following claims are therefore intended to be inclusive of all such equivalents and substitutes as fairly come within their terms.

What is claimed is: l. The method of reentering a rigid elongated mold sections at the trailingend of a train of said sections which includes the stel-isof imparting to 6. In apparatus for adding 'mold plate; one

processing station, and then' advancing Asaid removed and transferred mold section in the direc- :tion of travel of lsaid train faster than said designed speed until said section overtakes said train, and thereafter Ifurther advancing said mold section in unison with said train by applying to the former. anl impelling force weaker than that which limits said rate of train movement to said designed speed, thereby to maintain said reentered section in abutting contact with the rtrailing end of said train.

3. In continuous work 'processing apparatus, the combination with a chain of elongated work confining structures pivotaily connected to ride side by side in a straight path of work processing travel with their lengths disposed crosswise said path of travel, of a train o1' unconnected ,elongated work carrying plates supported to travel'v i vcooperatively in unison with said work confining l structures in a straight routeparallel to said path of'travel. and having their lengths aligned with their said route of travel together with means intermittently to retrieve. plates from the leadingend of said train and successively reenter said plates at the trailing end of said train at a pace plates coextensive in length withv a continuous length of said chain of structures while said co extensive train and chain are engaged in work processing travel.'

4. In continuous work processing apparatus, I A the combination defined in claim 1 in which the length of said work confiningstructures approximately equalsthe'width of said work carry-Y ing plates.

5. In continuous work processing apparatus.

the combination defined in claim 3 in which each of the said work confining structures has a series of grooves sunk in one face thereofand extend' ing crosswise the width' thereof in' end-to-endY relation respectively to similar grooves in the ad- `iacentsaid confining structures, and each of the .i

y v y 2,292,366 a by one to the trailing end of a train or similar plates traveling at a definitely controlled rate of vbothtsaid gears travel at a constant linear speed.

12. In apparatus as described in claim 8, the combinationdened in said claim together with resilient means constructed and arranged yieldingly to urge the said receiving gear into position to mesh with the said rack teeth of the said of travel of said means, and power impelled plate j feeding mechanism constructed and arranged to impel an additional mold plate toward the trail- 4 ing end of said train by slippagev affording connections and at a linear speed of travel which .exceeds that performed bysaid train until the additional mold platel overtakes the traveling train.

-7. Apparatus for feeding a retrieved mold sec- :tion into tight abutting relationship to the trailing end of a traveling train of similar mold sections, including in combination, rack teeth carried by each of said mold sections and'ordered in the direction'fof train travel, a positively driven gear arranged to rotate on a fixedly stationed pivot and positioned to engage successively with the rack teeth of themold sections in said train in a manner to push the train progressively forward, and a fr ictionally driven feeder gear arranged to rotateon a iixedly stationed pivot spaced in advanceof said drive gear along the path of train travel and' positioned to engage such ratio to said feeder gear that the teeth of successively with the rack teeth on said retrieved mold section in a manner to push the latter in the direction of train travel, the teeth of said frictionally driven gear traveling when unimpeded at a greater linear speed than do -the teeth lof said positively driven gear.

8. In apparatus for feeding a retrieved mol section intotight abutting relationship to the trailing end of a traveling rain of similar mold sections, the combination with rack teeth carried by each of said mold sections and ordered in the direction of travel of said train, of a feeder gear'arranged to rotate in a constant direction on a fixedly stationed pivot and positioned to mesh with the rack teeth of the said retrieved moldl section when the latter is thrust toward the trailingend of said train, and a Areceiving gear arranged to rotate on a flxedly stationed 'pivot and positioned to engage successively with retrieved mold section, and a transmission gear arranged to mesh with both said feeder gear and said receiving gear and constructed to ro' tate the-latter in such ratio to the former that the teeth of both said gears travel at a constant linear speed.

13. Apparatus for feeding a retrieved mold section into tight abutting relationship to the trailing end of a traveling train of similar mold sectiqns, including in combination, rack teeth carried by each of saidmold sections and ordered in the direction of train travel, a positively driven the 'rackteeth of the mold sections in said train in a manner to push the train progressively forward, a frictionally driven feeder gear arranged to rotate on a fxedly stationed pivot spaced in advance of said drive gear. along the path of train travel and constantly positioned to mesh with the rack teeth on said retrieved mold secwhich the teeth of said drive gear travel. and said gear arranged to rotate in thev same said direcv tion on a shiftable pivot and thereby positionable either to mesh with or to pass the rack teeth of said retrieved mold section as the latter approaches said feeder gear, said feeder gear and receiving gear being rotated at a rate of rotary speed to cause the vteeth of said two gears to travel in the same direction at a constant linear Speedv 9. In apparatus as described in claim 8,'the. 4cumbinationdeiinedin said claim ina-which the distance between centers of the said feeder gear and thesaid receiving gear is an even multiple of tion in a manner to push the latter in the direction of train travel, and a receiving geararranged to rotate on a s hiftable lpivot and thereby positionable either to mesh with or to pass the rack teeth of said retrieved mold section as the latter approaches said feeder gear, said feeder gear being frlctionally driven at a rate to impart to its teeth a linear speed of travel greater than that at receiving gear being driven at a rate of speed to impart to its, teeth a linear speed of travel equal to that at which the teeth of .said feeder gear travel. y I

14. The combinatiomwith a -vulcanizing machine including an elongated heat zone and elongated slab-like mold sections with power means to impel the same in the direction of their length edgewise into and through and out of said heat zone of the machine in a substantially horizontal path of travel thereby to heat said mold sections to la high temperature, of a platform outside of and adjacent to one endofsaid heat zone of the machine reciprocative between an upper level horizontally in line with said path of mold section travel and a level spaced below said Pathl Y of travel, means inxed relation to said machine constructed and arranged to guide saidplatform in its movements between said upper and lower levels, and lift meansconstructed and arranged to be powered on one occasion yieldingly to resist descent ofsaid platform responsive to weight of the distance between the centers. of-the said rack i teeth when both said gears are fully in mesh with said-rack teeth, together with a transmission gear arranged to mesh with both the said feeder gear and the said receiving gear.

10. In apparatus as described in claim 8, the combination dened in said claim together with resilient means constructed`and arranged yieldingly to urge the said receiving gear into position to mesh with the said rack teeth of Vthe said retrieved mold section.

11. In apparatus as described. in claim 8, the

the latter thereby to permit and retard the lowering of said platform and on another occasion to bemore forcefully powered to overcome said weight and elevate said platform toits said upper i level ready to receive another mold section from combination defined in said claim together with a transmission gear arranged to mesh with both the said feeder gear and the said receiving gear and constructed to rotate said receiving gear in said heat zone of the vulcanizing machine.

15. 'I'he combination defined in claim 14 in whichthe said means to guide the platform includes anelbow-shaped structure disposed to steer,

said platform in the general direction of the said edgewise movement of the mold sections `before permitting substantial lowering movement ofisaid platform.

16. The combination dened inclaim 14 in which the said lift'means areso located beneath the said platform and so connected thereto in relation to the center of gravity thereof that a 

